Reconciling differing seismic assessments

Every building is unique. A detailed seismic assessment takes into account a large range of factors when considering how that particular building would perform compared to a hypothetical building on that same site that meets the current Building Code.

Seismic assessments require significant professional judgement. This means that different engineers can produce differing assessments of the same building.

If there are differences of opinion between engineers, it’s important they are in the same ballpark. If an engineer becomes aware that there are significantly different seismic assessments for the same building, Engineering New Zealand recommends those engineers work together to resolve the issue.

However, sometimes in complex or historical situations, engineers can’t reach resolution themselves. That’s why Engineering New Zealand has launched a programme to guide this process. Our programme provides independent facilitation that helps engineers agree on a narrower assessment rating.

To be eligible, engineers must have already attempted to resolve the differing assessments together. They must also have attempted to agree on the key elements behind the disagreement.